bigrus

Delphi murder trial restrictions restrict public access to case

Harry November 17, 2024

Carroll County sheriff’s deputies on Oct. 18 seized the cameras of four reporters who said they were filming the vans transporting the jury to the double-murder trial of Richard Allen.

Three days later Special Judge Frances Gull returned the cameras to reporters, including Alex Martin of the USA TODAY Network’s Lafayette Courier & Journal. Today, even after a jury found Allen guilty of kidnapping and murder in 2017 Abigail “Abby” Williams and Liberty “Libby” GermanThe sheriff’s office did not return the memory cards from Martin’s cameras.

The cameras, seized in the public area outside the Delphi courtroom and by a photojournalist who actually complied when ordered not to record the arrival of the pickups, were indicative of the effort Gull and Carroll County officials went to to ensure the high-profile trial took place. regularly and without distraction from the media or the public at large.

From a gag order preventing involved law enforcement, witnesses, attorneys, and families from speaking publicly about the case to strict rules barring the use of any electronic devices in the courtroom, Gull made full use of his privilege, as he wrote in his preliminary hearing. order of decorum, “to ensure the integrity of the trial, to protect the defendant’s constitutional rights to due process, to ensure the safety of the parties and the public, and to allow the public access to criminal proceedings.”

Allen’s case attracted international attention from a wide swath of society, including some true crime enthusiasts who developed an unhealthy obsession with the case and became invested in its outcome. Conspiracy theories and speculations were circulating on social media.

Members of the public and media waited outside the courthouse for hours, often in the dark and cold, for a chance to see the trial firsthand. Many people, including authorized media, were regularly turned away when the courtroom was full.

Gull called after retiring Morgan County Judge Jane Craney “a good judge and a good person” does not suffer fools. He shouldn’t either. The judge warned people against falling asleep in the courtroom during the hearing and felt it was necessary to remind people to walk, not run, in the courthouse.

As is often the case, the bad behavior of a few led to restrictions for many who played by the rules.

Because of these limitations, something was lost, and as a result, reporters passed handwritten notes about the decision among themselves, just as they were treated like middle school students. Allowing public access to the hearing was the last priority listed in Gull’s etiquette. He was treated this way.

Indiana media coalition clears major access barriers in Delphi lawsuit

I’ll stop here for a change of tone. Yes, I am concerned about the potential consequences of Gull’s broad use of discretion to restrict public and media access to Allen’s trial for future high-profile cases in Indiana.

Even those in the gallery could not see the whole picture because the televisions were turned on, so only the judge, jury, defense and prosecution could see some of the evidence. Considering the subject matter, this might be considered a courtesy by some. But from a public access perspective, this trial set an extremely low bar.

But this is where Indiana’s press corps collaborates to meet a critical need. Each week, a coalition of print and broadcast outlets manned 12 assigned media seats in the courtroom and shared handwritten notes from designated pool reporters with outlets that did not enter the courtroom.

Reporters checked facts from other newsrooms and answered questions from their opponents. The state broadcasting association funded a sketch artist to give the public the only glimpse of the courtroom, where cameras are banned. Everyone’s handwriting was surprisingly legible; This was an important concern when accuracy was most important.

Special thanks go to WTHR-TV Deputy News Director Cyndee Hebert, who kept the coalition going throughout the trial, and IndyStar Editor-in-Chief Cindi Andrews, for spearheading extensive pretrial planning. Without their considerable efforts, you would not have received the news wherever you got it.

I am also grateful to all of my USA TODAY Network colleagues who reported from Fort Wayne and Delphi or provided remote support. Veteran Journal & Courier reporter Ron Wilkins was in court nearly every day of the trial; IndyStar reporters Sarah Nelson and Jordan Smith were working late every night on the extended story. Kristine Phillips, Jen Guadarrama, Virginia Black, and Jenny Porter Tilley provided critical support to our reporters at Delphi.

In total, more than 20 USA TODAY Network journalists have worked tirelessly over the past five weeks to bring you trustworthy, accurate and authoritative coverage of the case.

Our coverage of this trial will be a source of pride for IndyStar for years to come. As always, it is an honor to serve you.

Thank you for reading IndyStar.

Eric Larsen is IndyStar’s managing editor. Reach him at [email protected].